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Accord - Manual or Automatic?

Comments

I don't drive in heavy traffic unless there is a wreck. My commute is 23 miles each way and usually averages 80 mph on the interstate portion. The amount of times I have been stuck in traffic and cursed my manual is low and it NEVER made me even seriously think about getting a lame auto box. I would move closer to work before I would give up the joy of having a manual.

Have you considered the fact that one day a manual may have the opposite affect. Say mister car-jacker was planning on making your wife get out of the car, and just take the car. But then when he finds out the car is a sick shift, he is forced to take your wife along to drive. I have a manual truck (I drive to work), and I would much rather drive my automatic car. I don't see what the big thrill is to exercise your left leg and right arm in heavy traffic, when you don't have to.

What if the car jacker does not know how to drive period, but has a gun.... your argument does not hold here....

As to excersise, have you ever driven a Honda manual?

It is far from excersise.

Going along the same lines, why bother excersising the right foot (gas and brakes) and arms (steering) when one could take a bus?

I consider a manual having many advantages over an automatic but worrying about carjacking, exercise, or about my car being stolen had nothing to do with my purchase.

Driving a stick becomes second nature and I'm sure many auto-only drivers will never completely understand how the flow works. It really isn't any different than your right foot coming off the accelerator and applying the brake. You react; you do it. You don't really THINK about it, do you?

My left foot and right hand react just the same to any adjustments I need to make, whether I am just anticipating or experiencing a crisis.

Driving a stick becomes second nature and I'm sure many auto-only drivers will never completely understand how the flow works.

I have a stick in my work truck, so I know exactly how the "flow" works. I just don't see the big benefit of shifting manually, when the car can do that for me. Sure, a manual can be more fun, at times, but most of the time it's just extra hassle.

I have a stick in my work truck, so I know exactly how the "flow" works. I just don't see the big benefit of shifting manually, when the car can do that for me. Sure, a manual can be more fun, at times, but most of the time it's just extra hassle.

Does your truck have triple cone synchronyzers?

If you consider shifting a hassle, what do you consider excersising 3-4 times a week?

I haven't the slightest idea. It's a chevy. If a tranny with triple cone synchronizers still has a clutch and a shift lever, I'd rather have an automatic.

If you consider shifting a hassle, what do you consider excersising 3-4 times a week?

I get plenty of exercise every day at work, thanks anyway. I'd rather relax while I'm driving. Many car reviewers have mentioned how well the Accord's automatic works (always seems to be in the right gear).

When I need to really MOVE though, there's no wondering "could I drop to second without redlining? It might be a close call, I better make it third" only to find out that third was too tall of a gear. In some situations, the automatic's computer programming can think faster than the driver.

An automatic means I don't have to be left wondering. Sure, automatics "dumb down" the driving experience. I'll be the first person in line to tell ya that. No argument from me. it is a "safe" option though, in my opinion. If the driver is not thinking clearly, the automatic is.

I have to admit that I have not driven the new 5 spd auto extensivley, I did test drive the 2005 CR-V auto and manual. Auto took forever to shift down when I pressed the pedal to the metal on a test drive.

Besides, automatics are a REACTIVE system, they react to what HAS ALREADY happened.

Manuals, because of the direct input from the driver, are PROACTIVE systems. They react BEFORE the event.

I confess, I owned an automatic vehicle, a 2001 CR-V. It was horrible, to get it to change speed you have to press the gas all the way into the floor, wait 5 seconds before the engine spun up, then another 5 seconds for the tranny to shift. By that time, the opportunity was lost and I had to brake so that I don't hit the vehicle in front of me.

Manual, is much much easier in that aspect. I see an opportunity in my rearview mirror, I select the gear that I will need to merge into "the opportunity" and hold the engine at the higher RPM to maintain the current speed and wait for the "opportunity" to get closer, as the "opportunity" is in place, I just punch it, and I am in. No waiting for the engine to spin up, no waiting for the tranny yo decide what gear to use. I have Pre-emptivley selected the proper gear and was done with it.

I confess, I owned an automatic vehicle, a 2001 CR-V. It was horrible, to get it to change speed you have to press the gas all the way into the floor, wait 5 seconds before the engine spun up, then another 5 seconds for the tranny to shift.

If it took ten seconds from flooring it to downshift, you had a major transmission problem.

That gen of CR-V was particularly slow with the 2.0. My aunt had a '97 and it was DOG slow. She traded it for an Odyssey which was much more powerful. You are comparing a 4-speed automatic from a ten-year old design... things have improved since then (I still say ten seconds to drop gears is a MAJOR exaggeration unless your car has problems).

I have a fairly quick car, an Accord, and have never been the type to need to "squeeze" into a hole in traffic to pass. If I needed a pre-emptive drop to third gear on the highway, though, I'd shift to D3 while waiting on my "hole" to appear. Always though, punching the throttle drops me two gears very quick.

I like manuals, trust me. They're a hoot. I'm not arguing that. But automatics aren't the slow-as-christmas pieces of crap that some people (not necessarily anyone here) like to make them out to be.

I owned an automatic vehicle, a 2001 CR-V. It was horrible, to get it to change speed you have to press the gas all the way into the floor, wait 5 seconds before the engine spun up, then another 5 seconds for the tranny to shift. By that time, the opportunity was lost and I had to brake so that I don't hit the vehicle in front of me.

According to Blue Book and Edmunds, the 2007 Accord V6 Sedans have an identical private party resale value for either transmission. Both starting points are $21891. Private party sale is the best way to sell a manual.

I guess not offering the V6 manual isn't because of depreciation as they appear to be identical. Without a doubt, there is a smaller market for the manual so Honda may not think an additonal model is worth it.

Of course there are also 80 used V6 auto sedans within 300 miles of me and only 4 V6 manual sedans. My experience is there is less demand, but also less supply. Actually in my experience, as Hondas/Mazdas/Toyotas age the demand for manual used cars begins to outstrip supply at a rate far greater than autos.

in my opinion manual is better and stronger than an automatic tranny.i have owned about 8 honda accords and never had to replace the clutch and all of my cars were between 200k miles to 500k miles with origanal cluthes,tranny and engine.honda make one of the best cluthes.I just sold my automatic 1989 honda accord for $1200 with 400000+ miles.check it out."WWW.HONDABEAT.COM".And click on high milage club

The Accord EX V6 6 speed is a poor example or a self-serving example of resale.It has about the same value as the automatic because the 6-speed is a supposed to be some kind of "sport" model and has a few features not on the normal automatic version of the EXV6 and it will also be hard to find used due to low production.Everyone who buys the Accord 6-speed really wanted it and did not buy it to save money. Many people buy other manual transmission sedans and economy cars because they may be cheaper by $1000 or more even though they would have really preferred to get an automatic. Resale will reflect that.

According to Blue Book and Edmunds, the 2007 Accord V6 Sedans have an identical private party resale value for either transmission. Both starting points are $21891. Private party sale is the best way to sell a manual.

I guess not offering the V6 manual isn't because of depreciation as they appear to be identical. Without a doubt, there is a smaller market for the manual so Honda may not think an additonal model is worth it.

Unfortunately, Blue Book is worthless in the real world.

What matters is dealer auction values and what people are willing to pay. If folks were willing to pony up just as much for a manual as an auto, the trade-in values would reflect that. Its just how the market works.

Here is what is going to happen with my Accord lease. I was given the same residual value with my 6-speed as they were giving on the automatic. However, come the end of my lease, the 6-speed will fetch $1k less at the auction, thereby making Honda Finance lose $1k on my car compared to an automatic. So, yes, it has depreciated more.

Once again not for private party value. If you sold it yourself, you would get the same price. Thus, depreciation for private sale is the same. Private party sales are excellent for manuals. Big car lots, auctions, and shady salesmen love automatics.

What makes a manual a harder sell is this: If someone is looking to buy a manual, they will most likely settle for an automatic, if they can't find a manual quick enough. If someone is shopping for an automatic, it is usually the only choice, especially if they have never owned a manual before. Everyone knows how to drive an automatic. Many don't know how, or don't want to drive a standard.

If a dealer pays $1k less for their manual car, they will sell it for $1k less than their automatic. Private party is typically $1k below dealer retail. It is just the way it works. So, in other words, auction values, dealer retail, private party, trade-in, are ALL tied directly to each other, and all are dictated by the buying public. But, whatever, if you don't believe it, that's your perogative. If you want to pay $1k more than you need to in order to buy a 6-speed used Accord, then go for it. I hope if I were to sell mine, I find a buyer like you.

There are many markets for any product. Private party is one and the most advantageous for manual buyers and sellers. Big dealers want high volume sellers; manuals are not high volume. They will only give wholesale for many manuals. Try selling a million dollar homes at a thrift store. The clientele is not there to buy thus the demand is low - prices would be terrible. Though this is an extreme example, there are many different avenues for marketing.

If you want to get ripped off and sell your Accord for $1k less (plus the multiple thousands less the dealer will give you to make him a substanial profit), go ahead and auction it or trade it in. I wish I could buy it and sell it for the $1k profit in the private sale market. Even better, I could probably make another $2-3k with the difference of the dealer trade in value and what I could sell it.

Both private party and dealers are real world, just pick the more profitable one according to the car you have to sell.